Night Reading
by onigiri5
Summary: Barbara mulls over her fellow Nightfall fan.
1. Cold Nights

Barbara never thought that she would enjoy a chilly night outdoors, where the sky was clear and the scarred moon hung over a starry backdrop. She was the kind of witch who enjoyed the luxuries of a warm, well lit and well furnished room. Although that alternative was a much better experience overall, sitting within one of the alcoves of the several landing pads in Luna Nova with Lotte was also undeniably pleasant. Having their backs on the cold stone brick wall wasn't Barbara's choosing, but they kept warm with a large quilt made by Lotte's mother and some tea that Barbara prepared beforehand. She didn't even mind that the place was dimly lit, save for one of Lotte's light faeries sitting on top of a page of the 115th volume of Nightfall. Yes, that's right. It has been 115 days since they've been doing this. Barbara's mind wandered for a bit. She ruminated over this ritual that Lotte and her have been doing for the past 115 days.

It started with the announcement of the 367th volume of Nighfall, didn't it? She remembered Lotte's excited face when she broke the news to her. It was hard to forget that freckled smile, those excited eyes behind thick, oversized glasses. Barbara could never forget the silly little dance Lotte did with her, where they pirouetted, skipped, and jumped in between reenacting their favorite scenes from the books. Of course, these things were difficult to get rid from your memory when they were doubly embarrassing. The little dance they did was done in the mess hall after all, in plain view of several other witch students, Barbara and Lotte's friends included. Maybe it was Sucy's incessant snickering, or Akko's confused look, or Hannah's disapproving grimace, or maybe it was Diana's composure (eyes closed, napkin to her mouth, the but the corner of her lips betrayed a wide smile) that made this whole experience worse. Amanda's boisterous laughter with Constanze's stanbot rolling in the ground, didn't help. Even Jasminka, of all witches, stopped eating to give a chuckle.

Barbara shook her head. Embarrassing things like these always gets her flustered.

"Something wrong, Barbara?" Lotte stopped reading and turned her head to the raven haired witch.

"N-no," Barbara stammered, blood rushed to her ears as the thought of her little episode with Lotte lingered in her mind. "I just can't forget that thing we did at lunch that one time." She poured a bit more tea from her ornate pot and took a quick sip to calm herself down.

Lotte giggled. "I still think about it too, but I guess..." she yawns "...I don't mind doing silly things from time to time." The sprite on her book echoed her yawn, punctuating her reply.

Barbara gave a worried look. "Do you want to call it a night, Lotte?"

The bespectacled witch shook her head. "No, we promised to finish a book of Nightfall a day until the next release next year, didn't we?" Lotte turned the page, while the glowing sprite sluggishly leaped to get on the next one. "Besides, we're almost at the end."

This whole thing was Lotte's idea. Barbara herself is a fast reader, but not as quick as someone like Lotte, who has the capability of devouring several volumes a day. So they've come to an agreement that they would read the books together out loud, both girls taking turns every night. The fact that they were out in the cold was also a compromise; Barbara originally wanted to do their nightly reading in her dorm, but Diana preferred a bit more peace and quiet for her studies and there wasn't a way to convince Hannah to tolerate the "revolting soap opera books read out loud." Likewise, Lotte's room wasn't ideal. Sucy's experiments were an assault to the senses with their explosions, offending smells, and occasional blinding flashes of light. Not to mention Akko's presence, which was another form of assault to Barbara's senses.

Barbara came back to reality again when she noticed the sprite's glow waning. Lotte's words were reduced to inaudible mumbling, her head nodding, slumber attempting taking a hold of her.

"Lotte?" Barbara whispered and gently nudged her friend. "Let's go back to our rooms, Lotte. We can just finish this tomorrow morning, it's going to be a weekend after all."

Lotte stirred but only mumbled half-awake sentences. She took her glasses off and placed them on the open book on her lap. Much to Barbara's surprise, Lotte then grasped her hand and leaned her head on Barbara's shoulder. The raven haired witch could feel all of the blood in her body rushing to her face. As the sprite's light finally dissipated, she could feel her blushing face glowing red in the dark. I mean, it's not unpleasant at all, she reasoned. Her hand is quite warm actually, especially since most of her blood left her extremities and now resided on her face and ears. And it's not like she's never held other girls' hands before. She didn't even mind holding Hannah's hands. But Lotte's shampoo smells nice. And her slow, quiet breathing actually sounds cute. And she has the most adorable sleeping face. And her lips look soft. And...

Oh, that's right.

Barbara had feelings for the orange haired witch and they were buried deep within her heart. She wasn't quite sure where it started. Maybe it was their little episode in the cafeteria or maybe it was these nocturnal reading sessions. There was that one certain sultry volume involving interspecies romance between vampire and werewolf boys (to which they both giggled the whole night through). Barbara wasn't sure. All she knows is that her appreciation for Lotte's friendship gradually morphed into something a bit more... complicated. Instead of looking forward to reading the next book, she was looking forward to spending time with Lotte. The damp and dark alcove, which was originally a point of concern for Barbara, didn't mind her anymore because she could sit close to Lotte, shoulder to shoulder, and share her warmth. That moment where they accidentally touched each other's fingers when they tried to turn a page together made Barbara blush uncontrollably too. Speaking of blushing, she hated it when Hannah made fun of her for blushing when she defended her nightly rituals (Hannah started calling them "Barbara's dates with Lotte.")

Barbara contemplated all of this as she gazed past the darkness and out at the moon. Its pale, milky light illuminated the tea pot and cups on the gray stone floor, which no longer emanated the ethereal wisps of freshly made tea. Her feelings were conflicted over several layers of thought. I mean, it's not really uncommon for witches to be attracted to other witches. These things aren't really frowned upon. On the other hand, she thought about how much she bullied Lotte back then. All those things she said that hurt her, and yet Lotte was steadfast and quiet. Barbara felt like her stammering, awkward apology was inadequate. She felt that she didn't deserve Lotte's radiant and gentle freckled smile and reply; "Barbara, let's be friends, okay?"

Barbara clutched Lotte's hand, their fingers intertwined. It was soft and warm, and Barbara swore she could feel Lotte's thumb making circles on the back of her palm. Lotte's breathing was now steady and her sprite gave out cute little whistle-like snores. This situation caused a fleeting impulse to occur in Barbara's sleepy mind. Like most impulses, Barbara thought it was rather foolish, but she felt compelled to do it.

"Lotte," Barbara whispered, her head turned to the freckled witch. "I'm really happy that you wanted to be my friend... after all that horrible stuff I've done to you. I'm... I'm still really s-sorry." Barbara wanted to blame the cold for stammering, but she knew she was doing it because of something else. "B-but I want to say that... that..." Barbara gulped. She's sleeping anyway. She's not going to hear any of this. "...I kinda like you. Like, I want to be more than friends... UGH! I mean, I have a crush on you... no, I mean..." These embarrassing things always gets Barbara flustered.

"I just wish I could tell you this," Barbara finally straightened out a sentence. "I really like you, Lotte. I'm just afraid that if I told you, we might not be friends anymore, because... you might think it's weird." Barbara leaned her head back on the hard stone wall. "That's all."

The moment of catharsis seemed to have a soothing effect on Barbara. She felt her eyelids growing heavy. A sheepish smile spread across her rosy face as she shut her eyes and let sleep embrace her. By now, warmth pervaded throughout Barbara's body, or maybe it was the sensation of coming to terms with your feelings? Maybe it's because she just made a really weird confession to her crush? She slowly and gently rubbed her thumb on Lotte's hand as she took a deep breath, taking in Lotte's familiar scent. It was a rather pleasant experience, and she would never trade this for anything else. Not even a warm, well lit, well furnished dormitory.

* * *

 _Barbara was groggy but wasn't really compelled to open her eyes. It was too comfortable. Too warm. It was probably a dream. She focused on her breathing and not at that pleasant sensation on her cheek. It was warm and soft. Lips? She heard a familiar voice saying things like, I kinda like you too, Barbara. Maybe one day you can really confess to me and that would really make me happy. I don't think it would be weird at all. She felt someone's hand hold hers tighter and soft, short, orange hair brushing against her cheeks. She's leaning on her shoulder again. This must be just some silly dream._

 _Right?_


	2. Warm Nights

Barbara twiddled her thumbs behind her back as she waited for Lotte at their usual meeting place. She paced around the familiar alcove as she waited anxiously. It was a warm evening although the alcove was significantly cooler, which was rather pleasant to Barbara. Despite this, the raven haired witch was partial to taking strolls on warm nights. She loved the chorus of softly chirping insects, how the gentle breeze played with her long, dark hair, and the sensation of heat that lingered from a hot day. Barbara sighed in frustration as she stopped in her tracks and sat down against the cold stone brick wall. She hugged her knees as her mind began to wander.

It has been a year since Lotte and Barbara started their nightly ritual of reading a single volume of Nightfall every night and tomorrow will be the release of the latest volume. It seemed ridiculous at first, but they somehow made it through. That certain chilly night stuck to Barbara's memory however. Barbara shut her eyes at the thought of all the silly attempts she made to confess her feelings to the bespectacled witch since then. There were times where she would walk Lotte back to her dorm room, only to freeze in place in front of the doorway, afraid that Lotte's roommates would overhear her. Other times, before they part, she would hug Lotte. Her lips would move, but her words would descend into inaudible stammering. Eventually, the only thing she would be able to stutter out was quiet "good night, Lotte."

"Good night, Barbara." Lotte would reply and she would hug her back. "Sweet dreams!"

Barbara blushed. She put her hands to her cheeks and shut her eyes tight, as if to hide her embarrassment from someone. She shook her head to clear up her thoughts. Since this was to be the final night of their ritual, she resolved to admit her feelings to her companion. Tonight will be the night, she thought. There will be no more turning back.

"I'm so sorry I'm late, Barbara!" Lotte gasped for breath as she reached the top of the stairs.

Barbara squeaked at Lotte's sudden appearance. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't even hear as Lotte made her way upstairs. She stood up so quickly that it made her dizzy and almost made her lose her footing.

"L-Lotte! I'm glad you made it!" She exclaimed with an eager smile as she wobbled to the shorter witch and grabbed her hands in excitement.

The other witch looked at Barbara quizzically. "Is there something wrong? Your hands are all shaky."

"N-nothing! Nothing wrong at all and-" Before Barbara could finish her sentence, Lotte's eyes widened.

"Oh no! I dropped the book!" Lotte noticed her robe pockets being unusually lighter. She tried to break free from Barbara's grasp in an attempt to rush back down the stairs but Barbara held her tight.

"W-wait, Lotte! Th-there's something I want to tell you before you go."

Lotte stopped in her tracks and gave a puzzled look to the raven haired witch. Her direct stare made Barbara feel even more anxious than she already was. She looked away and cleared her throat. No more excuses this time, she thought. No more stammers or dry throats. No more fears of other witches overhearing. She's going to do it.

"L-Lotte the thing is... I..." Barbara tried to focus and prevent herself from her stammering. She tried to see Lotte eye to eye, but it only made her embarrassed, so she lowered her gaze. She observed Lotte's freckled cheeks and amused herself at the thought of poking, pinching and even kissing them. The thought of running her fingers through her short, orange hair followed soon after. No, she needs to fulfill the task at hand. No more distractions!

Before she could say another word, a soft tapping noise echoed from the stairwell. It was the unmistakable sound of shoes stepping on cold, hard floor. Barbara could feel her muscles tense and the hair on the back of her head stand. She looked at Lotte, who had a very similar look of apparent dread in her eyes, visible even through her thick lenses.

Could it be a professor making their nightly rounds? But Lotte and Barbara were sure that no professor made their rounds at this part of the tower and at this time of night. Barbara's eyes darted from side to side in an attempt to search for a place to escape or hide. Finally, she came upon a broom closet on the other side of the alcove. Without hesitation, she pulled Lotte as quickly and as quietly as possible towards the storage closet, opened the aging door and darted in with her friend without disturbing any of the brooms that hung on the walls. Somehow, Barbara managed to softly close the broom closet with trembling hands.

Thoughts raced in Barbara's mind. She couldn't afford to be caught now. There's no way she was going to miss out on the Nightfall event tomorrow. That and she didn't want Lotte to get in trouble either. She felt like Lotte would somehow take the fall for her just so Barbara wouldn't suffer through detention. She grit her teeth at the thought of that. If Lotte's going to get in trouble and get detention, then she will too! She's not going to leave her alone to clean troll bathtubs by herself. Just the thought of that made Barbara panic and she didn't realize that she was hyperventilating until Lotte covered Barbara's mouth with her quivering hand.

"Shh!" She could make out Lotte's silhouette put a finger to her mouth with her other hand. Barbara tried to calm herself. Deep, slow breaths. Just concentrate on breathing deep, slow breaths, she told herself. She tried to focus, despite her heart hammering through her chest. It felt so loud that she was afraid that it could be heard through the closet door.

Cold sweat trickled down Barbara's brow as she heard the faint footsteps growing louder by the second. A familiar incandescent glow, possibly from a wand, poured out from the door's cracks as the patrolling stranger inspected the alcove. The stranger stopped at the alcove and both Barbara and Lotte held their breaths. Seconds passed as Barbara tried her best not to move a single muscle. Her lungs burned and her temples throbbed as she prayed for the footsteps to never reach the broom closet. Finally, the stranger started to move again and the glow disappeared. They waited a few seconds as the sound of the soft tapping faded before finally breathing a sigh of relief.

Still, the two of them sat in that broom closet, motionless and wordless. They held each other's hands tightly and firmly, despite both of them shaking nervously. Lotte was the first to speak.

"Do you think it's safe to go out now?"

Barbara fidgeted with uncertainty. She shook her head. What if whoever that was is waiting down the stairs or at the entrance of the tower? Just thinking about that made her nervous again. Despite this, an idea cropped up in her head.

"Hey, how about we fly down? I don't want to risk finding out if whoever that was is waiting for us at the bottom of the stairs."

Lotte nodded in agreement. They took one of the hanging brooms and opened the door slowly. At first, Barbara opened it wide enough for her to see through the crack. She saw no one and continued to open the door, praying it won't creak. Once there was enough room for them to slip through, Barbara and Lotte slid quietly, broom in hand.

 _"Tia freyre!"_ Barbara whispered and the two witches were off.

Barbara wasn't used to having another witch ride with her, especially one that clung to her waist as tightly as she could. Nevertheless, she found it rather pleasant. She couldn't really complain about the warm evening air blowing through her cheeks, or the pale, moonlit trees waving their branches beneath their feet, or Lotte resting her head on Barbara's back as she hugged her from behind. To be quite honest, Barbara wanted this evening flight to last a bit longer.

Finding a clearing among the numerous trees, Barbara touched down and gave a long sigh of relief. No one seemed to have followed them and they just might have escaped the prospect of cleaning goblin toilets. She looked over at Lotte, who had a similar expression of relief. Barbara couldn't explain it, but she burst into laughter and Lotte followed suit. Maybe it was just her way of coping with the tension or maybe she liked it a lot when the smaller witch clung so close to her in their broom ride. She wasn't entirely sure. Before Barbara could reason any further, she felt her knees buckle and found herself sitting on the soft grass.

"Barbara are you okay?" Lotte sat next to the nervous witch and held her hand.

"I-I'm fine! That whole ordeal gave me a fright." Barbara reassured her with a smile. "I guess I'm glad we won't get in trouble and we can make it to tomorrow's event!"

"Geez, you always worry about the silliest things." Lotte giggled but then quickly paused.

There was a good amount of silence between the two of them. Only the whispering wind can be heard as it danced its way through the leaves. The warm breeze caressed both of their hands, which were still entwined. Barbara noted Lotte's small, cold fingers and how they trembled so slightly. She looked to the other witch, who looked like she was enjoying this shared comfortable silence. After a while, Lotte was the first to break the silence.

"Barbara, didn't you have something to say to me?"

The raven haired witch immediately felt her stomach turn and her heart race. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks again and immediately turned away from Lotte to hide her flustered face. Before she could say a word, she could feel two cold, trembling hands hold her cheeks and force her head to look straight at Lotte's face. It was subtle, but Barbara could make out the slight tinge of rouge on her cheeks, making her freckles stand out a bit more than usual.

"I... uh... I don't know wh-what to say." The instant confrontation made Barbara incredibly flustered.

"It's alright, just calm down." The other witch eased her with a soft whisper. "Just tell me everything."

Lotte's clear blue eyes stared directly into Barbara's. It was that familiar sublime, resilient look again. It was the kind of face that Lotte put up despite being bullied and despite finding herself in tough situations. Barbara recalled it so many times, but she finally understood in that moment that underneath that courageous facade, was a meek and wavering witch with trembling, cold hands. She was just like Lotte in a way, Barbara thought. She just lacked the strength to put up a brave face, but she was going to change all of that in that moment.

"L-Lotte, I uh... I want to spend more time with you. N-not just reading Nightfall!"

She felt tears well up on the corner of her eyes. The lump in her throat made her choke a bit. She fought them back hard.

"I want to do so many fun things and share a lot of memories with you! Like having tea, or watching movies, or going shopping, or going to the beach, or reading books when it's raining!"

Barbara was always easily scared. When terror gripped her, she would cling to other people like Hannah or Diana. She was never the type who stood up for herself. Somehow, Lotte changed all that. For once, she made something happen by herself. For once, she did something unexpected. For once, she won't let her cowardice get the best of her.

"And I... I want to know more about you! The kind of tea you like, or if you like horror movies, or if you like taking a stroll on warm evenings!"

Barbara watched Lotte nod at each silly declaration with an eager smile. She was practically yelling out each sentence and punctuating them with a gasp. She felt her chest tighten as she tried to squeeze out the last few words from her heart.

"Because I like you, Lotte!" She shut her eyes tight as she finally managed to pull out the words from her throat and say them as loud and as clear as possible. There was a few seconds of silence and she felt Lotte's hands release her cheeks. This prompted Barbara to open her eyes and be greeted by Lotte's simple, meek smile.

"See, it wasn't that hard, was it?" Lotte's hands moved down to Barbara's waist. She leaned towards the taller witch, wrapped her arms around her, and rested her head on Barbara's chest.

"I like you too, Barbara. I like you a lot." Lotte whispered as she nuzzled on the other witch. "It makes me so happy that you feel the same way, and I look forward to spending more time with you."

Barbara couldn't help but hug Lotte back. She felt so close and so warm. The familiar smell of her shampoo and her soft hair brushing against Barbara's cheek felt comforting. She didn't want to let go and Lotte had the same sentiment. Both witches indulged in each other's desire for closeness and the wordless embrace was a sign that neither would mind spending a few more minutes in each other's arms.

Just another reason why warm evenings are the best, Barbara thought.

* * *

 _Barbara quietly opened the door to her suite. It was pitch black, save for a light coming from behind the bookcase that separated Hannah's and her side of the room from Diana's side. In the dark, she could make out Hannah in bed, sleeping soundly. The sound of a page turning meant that Diana must still be awake._

 _Barbara sighed as she leaned on the door. She touched her cheek and realized that she must still be blushing from Lotte's goodnight kiss. She smiled at the thought of this as she walked towards her bed._

 _"Good evening, Barbara." Diana peered from the other side of the bookcase, whispering in order to not wake Hannah up._

 _Barbara nearly jumped at Diana's sudden appearance but stopped herself at the last minute._

 _"Good evening, Diana! Still studying?"_

 _"Truthfully, no. I'm just doing some recreational reading with this book I found." The blonde witch lifted a familiar looking tome and Barbara's eyes widened. "It's a rather... fascinating read."_

 _It was a copy of the 366th volume of Nightfall. Lotte's copy, to be exact._

* * *

 **AN: Thanks for all the kind words from the previous chapter. I originally planned on this being a oneshot, but I ended up writing this second chapter as a break from another piece. As such, there were some things I wasn't entirely happy with, but it's all for fun, I guess.  
**


	3. omake

It was the perfect meeting place. Despite planning the location on a whim, Barbara was pleased to find the classroom corridor to be empty. She leaned against a wall as she gazed at a pink bookmark with a primrose pattern and sighed anxiously. I'm sure she'll love it, she thought, as she admired her own handiwork. It was a last minute effort that took several tries and a good portion of the night. She did her best, regardless.

"Hi, Barbara!" Lotte waved on the other side of the corridor.

Her voice prompted Barbara to stand up straight and hide the bookmark behind her.

"Lotte!" Barbara exclaimed as they quickly walked towards each other.

"Diana said you wanted to see me?" The shorter witch moved her shoulders from side to side as she looked eagerly at the other.

Barbara was taken aback by her adorable little dance but managed to compose herself as she showed Lotte her present.

"Happy birthday, Lotte!"

Lotte's eyes widened, as if to fill in the frames of her large, round glasses. She took the bookmark and gave it a long look, noticing all the details like how Barbara used fine silk for the flower's petals, or how she used a simple freshness charm to keep the leaves from wilting, or the cute ribbon on top that glittered, even in the shade. She moved her gaze up to Barbara with a wide smile. "Thank you, Barbara! I love it!"

Barbara's shoulder relaxed as she sighed in relief. "I'm glad you like it. Diana and Hannah kinda helped me with ideas because I couldn't really decide what to do. I just wish I could have done something more."

"No, no, it's very lovely!" Lotte reassured her.

Barbara felt a warm sensation well up from her chest. That bashful witch looked away in an attempt to hide her blush. She held her arm and fidgeted a little bit. Lotte was making her incredibly flustered, even though they were the only two present in the corridor. It wasn't such a terrible feeling though. In fact, Barbara couldn't help smiling at the fact that Lotte was pleased with her present.

"I guess we can go back to-"

Before Barbara could finish the sentence, she felt Lotte's lips pressed on her cheek. She didn't expect it, or maybe it was because the shorter witch was just really quick, but Lotte moved in close, stood on her toes and gave Barbara a quick kiss.

"Hehe, you were wide open for that one!" Lotte teased the now beet red Barbara, although Lotte herself was also blushing vividly.

"G-geez! Don't do that all of a sudden!" Barbara pouted as she touched her cheek. It incredibly hot from Lotte's surprise attack.

Lotte simply smiled back at her and added, "I love you!"

Barbara never thought her face could go any redder.


	4. A Night at the Opera

Hot. The spotlights were too intense. She had too many layers of clothes underneath the frumpy dress. The old wool sheets were too thick and itchy. Barbara felt nothing but an unbearable amount of heat. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead and trickled down her temples. She hated that feeling-the sensation of stickiness that permeated throughout her body. Any other day, she would have never allowed herself to be subjected in this situation. Then again, she had no right to complain since she was partially the reason why she ended up in one of Akko's dumb ideas in the first place.

"After ascending the Tower of Trials, the Witch Knight has finally reached the princess' chamber!" Akko's voice reverberated in the gathering hall. "With a flick of her sword-wand, she breaks the sleeping spell…"

There was a long pause, and whispers could be heard throughout the hall. Despite laying on a stuffy bed topped with several layers of blankets, Barbara felt Lotte trembling. She must have grabbed one of the posts to support herself. Every second of waiting passed with sweltering silence and Barbara wished that Lotte could read her mind. Please get on with it Lotte, her inner thoughts reverberated in her head.

"I said," Akko cleared her throat. "Without hesitation, she breaks the sleeping spell…"

Lotte was supposed to wave her wand, release a music spell, and it was cue for Barbara to "wake up" from her "sleeping curse". At least, that was what she was told. Instead, she felt Lotte's cold hand touch hers. This wasn't part of the script, Barbara thought. The rehearsal for this part didn't take this long either. Neither was that kiss.

Wait…?

It was the unmistakable sensation of lips pressed against hers. They were gentle, much like the witch they belong to. Soft, warm, moist. Barbara's heart fluttered. Her mind raced. Every thought was a disjointed mess. She could hear gasps coming from the crowd. There was an shrill scream coming from backstage followed by a muffled thud.

* * *

"You what?!" Akko was loud as usual. Barbara disliked how she exaggerated every action she does. Everything just had to have a hundred percent behind it. At least, that's what Akko claims. Maybe that's why doesn't have have an indoor voice.

"I uh… I was just wondering if I can take the lead role…" Lotte's voice on the other hand was several magnitudes quieter. If it weren't for the deathly silent hall, she would have been mistaken for the wind.

By now, Akko's face transitioned into several shades of red. Fists balled, she paced from left to right, all eyes of the crew following her every footstep. Maybe it was around the fourth or fifth circuit did she stop on her tracks with a loud stamp of her foot. "But Lotte, we're only a week from the show! And besides-!"

"Besides what?" Barbara finally had to speak up. She couldn't stand watching Lotte shrink from Akko's overbearing personality. With folded arms, she stood in between Akko and Lotte.

The director recoiled at first, but immediately bounced back with ten times the ferocity. With a sharp glare, she shoved her face up to Barbara. "Besides, this is supposed to be my play…" Every word was sputtered with a low, animalistic growl.

How very in character, Barbara thought. Hands still folded, her nose up in the air, she matched Akko's glare with her own, although she felt like she was only barely keeping up with the energetic witch.

"B-Barbara it's fine, I just wanted to see if Akko's fine with me taking the role." Lotte tugged at Barbara's sleeve, but she ignored her plea.

"Akko, Lotte wanted to take a leading role for once and she thought this was the best opportunity to do so!" Barbara was telling the truth. Lotte did confide in her the day before. She expressed how she wanted to take the Witch Knight role after reading the script.

She was going to give up but Barbara egged her on. "I'll help you do it! I bet we can convince Akko together!"

Silence between the three ensued, which then coalesced into a palpable tension. It was enough to garner the attention of all the witches involved in the rehearsal at that point. Murmurs floated about as the three witch standoff continued. Barbara could only catch a few sentences from familiar voices and they ranged from genuine concern to curiosity and amusement.

It was only when the co-director spoke up did the tension disappear. "I think it's a good idea." Diana had her finger to her chin. "Besides, I'm sure the students have had enough of seeing you in the leading role, Akko." A mysterious smile formed on Diana's face.

"BUT DIANA!" Akko had her arms up in protest. She stared at Diana with intense ferocity, possibly enough to melt any ice cubes nearby. Meanwhile, Diana maintained her calm and collected self. The smile was still present, but instead of her usual quiet and steadfast focus, she had an unfamiliar demeanor. Barbara couldn't put a finger to it, but it was something novel sensation, coming from her roommate. Whatever it was, it seemed to have won the wordless battle.

"FINE!" Akko dropped her arms and looked away from Diana. She heaved a deep sigh as she relinquished her role to Lotte, who was all smiles at this point.

"Th-thank you Akko! Thank you Diana!"

"You are most welcome, Lotte."

"You're welcome, Lotte. And I'm sorry I yelled at you…" She groaned and faced Barbara's direction (her eyes were stared at the ground). "And sorry, Barbara…" It was an almost incomprehensible mumble, but Barbara thought the apology towards Lotte sufficed.

Defeated and dejected, Akko smiled weakly, but was upright within seconds. "Well then, let's get-"

Before the director could resume rehearsals, Diana interrupted her by clearing her throat. "On one condition," she began with icy comportment. "Since Lotte will be taking Akko's role, I suggest that Barbara take my role."

Diana's suggestion was met with a moment of deafening silence followed by a cacophonous roar. Akko's mouth hung open, as if her soul attempted to claw out of it. Barbara's eyes widened and her heart sunk to the pits of her stomach, taking her breath along with it. There were gasps all around, maybe a high pitched scream from Hannah, maybe Amanda's signature amused guffaw, Barbara didn't recognize everything at that moment.

"I shall take your silence as a sign of tacit approval." Diana folded her arms and nodded her head in triumph. "Well, then let's start rehearsals, shall we?"

* * *

Barbara opened her eyes as Lotte's lips parted from hers. Lotte's face was crimson and had a bashful smile, oblivious to Akko's ire. Nevertheless, Barbara smiled back. She sat up from her prop bed and recalled Akko's words, "No matter what, the show must go on!" She faced the crowd, her forehead shined with sweat, but she didn't care at that point.

"Thank you, oh brave Witch Knight!" With one hand on her chest, the other up in the air, Barbara projected her voice throughout the hall in dramatic fashion. "Thank you for breaking this vile curse!"

The immediate silence made Barbara's heart sink. She held her position, ignoring what might be blank stares that came from the audience. She waited and waited, until there was a clap. The unmistakable sound of applause started from the right wing of the stage. It was Diana. At the corner of her eye, the co-director clapped elegantly and with refined dignity befitting of any noble witch. Six more claps followed, then nine. Suddenly, the whole room was inundated with applause.

The two faced each other with wide smiles.

Lotte held out her hand in a manner similar to a prince helping a lady down a coach. "May I help you down, my lady?"

"I'd be honored!" Barbara obliged and made her way down the elevated bed. The two faced the cheering audience, held up each other's hands and made a deep bow.

* * *

The promised meeting place has become a place of comfort and security for Barbara. Every brick and corner of the alcove reminded her of all the memories she shared with Lotte: the cold nights with blankets and tea, the warm nights of star gazing, and the rainy nights where the two of them giggled over small, trivial things. She smiled as she recalled her treasured memories and it made her heart skip with the kind of happiness that made her hum a simple, cheerful tune. She waltzed along the cold walls of the alcove, running her fingers along them.

It wasn't long before Lotte made her way at the top of the stairs and into the alcove. She panted and wheezed, but it didn't stop her from throwing herself into Barbara's open arms.

"I'm so sorry for being late, Barbara!" Lotte gasped for air as she held Barbara tightly, who reciprocated the embrace. "Akko didn't really like my take on the script so she gave me an earful."

Barbara giggled at the thought of Akko's vividly red face, and violently shaking fists. "I hope she didn't give you a hard time."

Lotte shook her head. Her breathing had calmed down and she smiled warmly. "No, she was just a bit upset, but she doesn't stay upset for too long. I bet she's more happy that everyone liked the play."

The two witches found themselves sitting shoulder to shoulder on the broom landing deck, their feet dangled as they stared out into the dark and at the distant lights. There wasn't a single word uttered between the two of them, and yet Barbara didn't mind. It was the kind of silence that the two found comfort in, as if they have developed a new form of communication that deemed words to be unnecessary, but only required each other's proximity, warmth, and touch. Despite all this, one thing lingered in Barbara's mind, and she could tell, no, she knew that Lotte was thinking of the same thing.

"Lotte, you've changed a lot since we started hanging out." Barbara stared at her hand, which grasped firmly at Lotte's. "I remember when you told me that you didn't want to be on the spotlight. You wanted to be someone who cheered people on. Now you just finished a play where you were the lead role. That's really amazing!"

"Th-thank you, Barbara!" Lotte stared down on her lap, clearly sheepish but the visible smile on her face indicated that she relished Barbara's praise. The redness of her cheeks only served to accentuate her freckled grin. "I hope… I hope you liked the k-kiss…."

Barbara was flabbergasted by Lotte's adorable straightforwardness. Words were supposed to come out of her mouth, but only incomprehensible gibberish flowed. A giggle from Lotte only made her a hundred fold flustered.

"Th-the nerve!" She threw her arms at Lotte and the two were laying down on the landing platform, laughing together, arms locked in a tight embrace. As the laughter subsided, Barbara found the words she wanted to convey.

"I loved it! It was unexpected, but that's what makes it so special, doesn't it?"

Lotte nodded. "You've changed a lot too, Barbara. You're much kinder to everyone now, even towards Akko."

"Nuh-uh! Not after dress rehearsals!"

"But you two were getting along so well after the play."

Lotte was right. Barbara was indeed getting along with everyone, even Akko of all people. Despite the loudness. And the occasional obnoxiousness. And the unending energy.

"I'm probably just getting used to her… volume."

"If you say so!" Lotte giggled in response. "But I think you're still a lot nicer, and sweeter to everyone. You've gotten along with everyone and we've tried all those silly things that I thought you would've never thought of doing. That's what made me really love you."

Barbara didn't realize how close their faces were, until she felt the heat of Lotte's cheeks. The gleam of Lotte's glasses was no longer visible and she could see right through them. She always loved Lotte's eyes. There was a sense of inner beauty within those sparkling blue orbs that was constantly obscured by oversized glasses. There they are, so close and yet so out of reach. It made them wholly desirable.

"Barbara…"

"Lotte?"

"Th-that was our first kiss together, wasn't it?"

Barbara nodded. It was nothing like playful kisses on the cheek. Nothing like pretend kisses up on stage under Akko's "supervision." It was truly something else that cannot be easily conveyed, and yet there it was, summarized into two words. "First kiss" was something that was so simple yet so complex.

"I was wondering if we can have our second kiss right now."

Barbara didn't hesitate. She found herself on top of Lotte. Her long black hair flowed down like curtains and framed Lotte's freckled face. The other witch looked up expectantly, one hand over her head, the other grasped Barbara's hand firmly. Both in total surrender. For a moment, the couple stared deeply at each other, unsure as to how to proceed. A bit of awkwardness, a bit of smiles, but Lotte closed her eyes, as if beckoning Barbara to take the lead.

Barbara gulped and lowered her head. She steeled herself. She closed her eyes. Her pulse pounded in her ears. Barbara could smell Lotte's shampoo as it wafted between the two of them and it calmed her down. It was intoxicating, much like Lotte's soft, warm lips.

* * *

"It's very rude to spy on people's intimate moments, you know?"

Akko winced at the sound of Diana's voice. The voyeur swiftly turned her peaking head away from the alcove entrance and towards a smiling Diana.

"D-Diana?" Akko tried to keep her voice down. "How did you know I was up here?"

"I had a hunch that a certain nosy witch might want to know more of the two lovebirds."

Akko had a look of shock, as if Diana read her thoughts perfectly, but quickly rallied back with a loud whisper, "Am not!"

Diana shrugged. "Whatever you say, Akko." She turned back towards the steps. "Come, let's not disturb them."

Akko nodded and followed. As the two silently made their way down, Akko chimed in.

"Say Diana, you didn't just go up there to catch me, did you?"

Diana hummed, her head lowered and watched every step on the dimly lit staircase. "Hm, what makes you think so, Akko?"

"Just a feeling. Like, how you let Lotte take my role. And how you made Barbara take your role. I mean, you really wanted to play that role, you told me!"

Diana stopped and looked back at her companion. A mysterious smile was on her face. "Alas, my ruse has crumbled. I admit that I am complicit to this, although it was at the request of your persistent roommate."

"Hah! I knew it!" Akko's voice increased in magnitude. "I mean, you might think I'm dumb but I still got intuition!"

"Yes, yes." Diana turned away and resumed walking. Her curls bobbed with every step. "Now please quiet down before you disturb everyone in the tower. Also, for the record I don't 'think that you're dumb'. Just very… forward."

Akko couldn't wipe her triumphant grin as she relished a rare victory against her so-called rival. Her hands on the back of her head and her steps skipped from victory.

"I must admit," Diana began "I'm rather envious of their openness with each other."

"Huh? What do you mean by that?"

Diana didn't turn around. She could sense the heat on her face and she wasn't willing to allow Akko another victory against her for the night. "It's nothing. I'm sure it'll be clear to you some other time."

* * *

 **AN: Diana also had to convince Finneran that there were no real kisses involved. SASUGA DIANA! It's been a while and thanks for reading this series of fics. I had a lot of fun writing it and I know I may not be the best writer out there, but I still love contributing to this fandom and especially anything that involves these two adorable dorks. I still plan on writing some more fics in the future, but I might give Barb/Lotte a rest for now.**


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